The best legislative reception of the year, the Blue Ribbon Reception sponsored by the Colorado Restaurant Association on opening day, is the place for great food and even greater gossip.

There was plenty of discussion at Wednesday’s soiree of Sen. Greg Brophy’s “drinking with dad” bill, which would allow parents to buy a drink for their children in restaurants in bars if their kids were older than 18 but younger than 21. Apparently, restaurant folks don’t like the measure.

And there was buzz over the prayer in the Senate given by the Rev. Nori Rost of the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Colorado Springs, who prayed for the lawmakers.

“Let them come together in such a way that the people of Colorado — all people of Colorado, wealthy, poor, straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, people of all races and ethnicities and faith traditions, those who inhale and those who don’t — that all these people are served and that the interests of this fine state are well served,” she said.

“I heard they prayed in honor of everyone but Jesus Christ,” said Rep. Kathleen Conti, R-Littleton.

A week from today, Gov. John Hickenlooper and other politicos will head to Pueblo for one of the best political events of the year: the Colorado State Fair legislative barbeque.

It’s a chance for Republicans and Democrats to mingle with lawmakers, Pueblo movers and shakers, candidates, statewide elected officials and such. The 2009 event was high drama when word leaked that former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff planned to challenge fellow Democrat Michael Bennet in the U.S. Senate race.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.